The Electric Current Blog
May is Construction Industry Safety Month
By Jerry Rivera, Washington, DC NECA Safety Director
Everyone knows that construction sites can be of particular danger to the untrained eye. It is for this reason that the construction industry has designated May as the National safety Month for construction. It is during this time that you can witness the construction industry taking a stand for safety. Below are just a few of the safety stand-downs that are scheduled for 2017.
IBEW Local 26 Shines Underground in Tunnel Boring Project
15 Holiday Electrical Safety Tips for Home or Office
Our Take: Disruptive Technologies Headlines NECA Annual Conference
By Michael Mock
I just returned from the National Electrical Contractor Association’s international conference held in Boston. Two words – “Disruptive Technologies.”
Like virtually every industry, the electrical construction industry is undergoing a massive transition in both the way we think about our work and how we perform our work. As one conference speaker asked, “Are you a resistor or a transistor?” Resistance is futile!
Beat the Heat with Outdoor Work
By Jerry Rivera, Safety Director of Washington, D.C. Chapter of NECA
The summer season in the Mid-Atlantic has been brutal with temperatures rising well above the 90’s and humidity levels well above 50%. This extreme weather pattern can be particularly dangerous to workers who are required to work outdoors.
The dangers to outdoor workers can manifest themselves in the worst form of heat related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. These dangers are real and very serious. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that in 2014 over 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died from heat stroke and related causes on the job. This is a troubling trend since heat illnesses and deaths are more often preventable.
Washington, DC Apprenticeship Program Wins National Competition
By Kevin Burton, NECA/IBEW Local 26 JATC Assistant Director
The Electrical Training Alliance (formerly known as the NJATC) launched a Code Challenge competition in February. The challenge was designed to be facilitated by instructors during classroom time. Nine apprentices decided to take the challenge.
AA4 Jessica Hitt took the leadership role and assembled a team that included Lonnie Adams, Gerard Andrews, Nicole Griffith, Maikil Herndon, Prentise Hicks, Andrew Jewett, Ghedolom Kiros and James Reid.
During the month of April these students coordinated their schedules in order to meet three-six hours a week at the JATC computer lab to participate in the challenge.
Needless to say, they won, beating Local 3 in the final round! A total of 88 teams participated. For their efforts, they win an all-expense paid trip to the NFPA Conference and Expo in Las Vegas in June.
Our apprentices rock!
Learn more about the Code Challenge and the Washington, DC JATC.
Tunnel Project Stops Floods in D.C. Neighborhoods
When runoff from heavy rains began flooding the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., the city and D.C. Water made a plan. They would create temporary underground holding tanks for the water as well as install green infrastructure components such as bioswales and rain gardens to absorb storm water before it entered the system.
Electrical Safety Practices During the Holiday Season
By Jerry Rivera
The holiday season is a time that should be filled with joy. This is a time when family and friends give many thanks.
However, these times are often interrupted by news of house fires that occur during the season. This is particularly sad because fires often destroy homes, memorial artifacts and cause significant financial hardship. It is even more frustrating to know that many of these fires can be prevented.
Meet Washington, D.C. NECA’s New Safety Director: Q&A with Jerry Rivera
EA: What are you excited to do as safety director of the Washington, D.C. NECA Chapter?
JR: I’m excited at the opportunity of inspiring, motivating and engaging our chapter members in the architectural alignment of safety into the installation process. Electrical contractors are competitive by nature, and what better area by which to compete is there than enhancing safety related work practices that improve quality and productivity? There is a lot of opportunity for growth in the electrical industry and I’m glad to be a part of it.